New To Type 2 Diabetes

Hi everyone. My name is Missy and I am new to the world of diabetes. I was just recentlylly diagnosed. I feel so afraid and alone. I am really afraid because I don't know much about it. I have even just sat and cried alot just thinking about it. I wanna feel better but am just not sure where to start. Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

28 replies

I was diagnosed Feb 2009 with an A1C of 14.1. I stopped eating bread (All kinds) pasta and potatoes and started eating lots of low carb vegetables. My numbers dropped fast. My next A1C in June of 2009 was 5.9. My last four tests have all been under 6. My lowest 5.4. I write how I control my blood sugar here. Click on the link below.

Can somebody explain to me what the points are for? I mean do you buy things with them or donate them? I just wanna make sure I am being a good team player being new here and all. My membership is only 10 and 1/2 hours old (or should I say new) I have only read is raises your trust in the community here. Is that everything they are for? Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

Points are a way to gauge how long or active other members have been on the site. The more points they have the longer they have been a member being active on the site. Other wise they don’t mean much or used for anything.

Thanks for letting me know. Looks like I have alot more reading to do. I am really ejoying this site so far and have made alot of new friends.! And not feeling nearly as rotten as I was about being diagnosed with diabetes. I thought it was the end of my world but as I have been reading and learning more the past couple days I see its just the oposite…its simply a new healthier beginning! Nice to have you as a new friend who really does understand. Hope you are having a great weekend!

I have joined several Diabetes websites but mostly use Dlife and Diabetic Connect. These are some of the best to start. Don’t always believe what everyone tells you. Most people mean well but lots don’t really know what there talking about.

I recommend you find as many people as you can, who have gotten control of there blood sugar. A1C’s below 6. And try some of the things they did to control their blood sugar. I figure why take the advice of someone who is struggling and doesn’t have control themselves. There lots of them out their giving poor advice.

We are all different and what works for some doesn’t always work for everyone. You just have to find what works for you. I have found that most people who have good control drink plenty of liquids (mostly water) eat lots of low carb vegetables and have cut starchy carbs to a minimum. I believe this will work for most people.

I also found that testing your blood sugar before and 1-2 hours after eating will let you see what foods spiked your blood sugar. If you spike, watch for the carbs.

I recommend you read as much as possible from the following websites. There 3 of the best I have found to date.

Hi MissyWelcome you have come to a very good plce for learning. Many members have welcomed me and provided a whole lot of help.I was told I'm Diabetic while in the hosp. this Jan.They supplied me with two very helpful booklets. I had meant to look on line for adobe documents of them. You prompted me to do this today.Take Charge By Counting Carbs, 2007 from sanofi aventis. This booklet is available free as an adobe document from this linkwww.apidra.com/docs/pdf/CarbCounter.pdfIt lists food, serving size, and carb count. I found it very helpful during the confusing days when Carb counting sounded like a foreign language.Nutirtion in the Fast Lane, from Lilly. This one is possible available free from the following linkhttps://www.myregistrationc.com/Diabetes/&hel...It is from Healthy Hoosiers. I don't know if you have to be a resident of Indiana for them to send it to you. The booklet is also available for $6.95 from www.fastfoodfacts.com/Nutrition in the Fast Lane lists the nutirtion info from 40 different fast food chains. Very handy when you crave that quick meal.

A1c is the result of a blood test. Your Dr. does it or he may send you to a lab. It measures your average blood sugar over a 2 - 3 month period. Your blood cells store the info somehow (my heatologist explained it but my brain did'nt store the exact info). Your blood cells live about 3 months. Yoour Dr. can tell you what your A1c should be. The range varies based on each individual.

Sorry, just tested the links. The Healthy Hoosiers link doesn't work. Just google Healthy Hoosiers. Then from their home page go to resources. It has a place to order the booklet.Also just saw the edit feature so could have used it rather than send another reply. Live and learn.

Well Missy sit back and enjoy your 3 hour tour of diabetic connect lol.First welcome to DC, you will love us you will find here other peoples success's and failures. click on many links on the left it has a wealth of information. You can vent, discuss, ask questions, (Yell at Rayt721 for smoking), Gabby is a great resource.Your not alone, but there is major life style changes you need to make, so you can live a happy life. I would strongly suggets go to your doctor and get enrolled in a 3-4 day course from a local diabetic classes, or diatection classes. Most hospitals have them it is loaded with great wealth of knowledge and hands on training with your meters and other things. Post new discussions and great people here always have some feedback for us. Welcome aboard

Hi there Missy! You came to the right place. I knew one of the first things I would need to battle this was support and I found this wonderful site. I know it's scary and there's a LOT to learn but the people here are old pros and great people.

When I first got my meter I think I tested after everything I ate. I wanted to know how my blood sugar reacted to everything I consumed for a couple weeks. There were surprises and disappointments, but I wrote everything down in a journal. I also began eating differently, watching my carb intake and making sure I was getting the right type of fats and including supplements like Cinnamon and vits. My meals were smaller, better planned and more frequent. I had already been training for a marathon before I was diagnosed but I included more excercise into my days. I began sleeping better due to these changes. I have lost 20 lbs in the last month and my fasting BGL this morning was 65 a bit low but that was amazing since I had never seen it below 120. There are a few tweaks now I have to make but this was a huge difference!

You will learn your way around your diabetes, you will also learn it is unique to each of us, we all are different so what brings one persons BGL up or down may have a totally different affect on you. But here we share and learn together. We cheer each other on and pick each other up when we are down. You can always count on someone telling you Don't Quit! You will learn so much here and make friends along the way. I am so glad you made it!

I was nervous to at first & then after classes I realized the rules changed since my dad had diabetes.

Here's what helped me. Until you get into a class. Pay attention to the Carb count on an item. Most carbs turn into sugar really quickly so they can spike your numbers.

If you're going to go for a carbohydrate, find one that's high fiber. the line on the labe that says fiber 4 or 5 is high. the body has to work so much harder to process this so it won't spike your sugars.

Hi Diane. Nice to meet you. And yes your information was very helpful. Bread is a big thing with me and that was one of the things I was wondering about. Was I gonna have to give up bread. Arnolds makes great stuff. You have lifted my spirits some for sure. Thanks so much. I hope I get educated enough where hopefully I can help you one day if you need it.

That is the total hemoglobin a1c for a 3 month period to determine if you are a diabetic, Basically it breaksdown and tells you all the junk that is in your blood or = 6.5 Consistent with diabetes. Now keep in mind once a diabetic always a diabetic, but you can keep it under control with no meds or shots if done correctly, or not a serious case of diabetes.When you go to classes they will tell you where you numbers should range on a daily basis, depends on weight and stuff like that. Hope it helps a little

Hi Alan and thanks for the welcome. It is really nice to have friends on here already. I just joined about an hour ago. I look forward to talking with you and learning and sharing knowledge with you. (Even if you have most of the knowledge right now) Anyway have a great day! By the way…what an adorable baby!

Hello and welcome MissyThis is a good site with lots of info and good frends here.You can ask any question you have some one will know the anser I like to think of this site as famly extended famly lolFirst please dont be afraid all of us have benn there and here we are still kicking lol.For me the best thing I ever did for my diabetis is to know how to count carbs thats the way I keep my blood sugars in line.It may take some time to get it all down and we all have made mis steps and ooouupppsses Test test test when you know what your blood sugar is you know your ok I like to right down all the food I eat and what my blood sugars where two hr after I ate.I dont knoe how you are caring for diabetis I am T2 on the pump so counting carbs has saved my life.Best wishesHarlen

Hi Harlen. Nice to meet you. Okay so here goes with my first question. What does "being on the pump" mean? Also I am really confused on the carb counting thing. I feel kind of embarassed to say that. But I just dont get it yet. Looks like you are right…about the ooouuupppsses. Looks like Im gonna have my fair share of em. Alot of people felt compelled to tell me all the diabetic horror stories which has me in such a frenzy. Like people they knew that went blind, lost their feet and/or legs, and some that even died. Somehow, I feel their timing with those sortof stories was pretty bad. Thanks again for being on my side.

A pump gives you insulin 24/7 no shots lolcarbs are what make my blood sugar go upwhen I was on shots my insulin to carb ratio was 2carbs 1 ut of insulinso if I ate 20 grams of carbs I needed 10 ut of insulin to cover for it.I hope this helpsBest wishesHarlen

Your feelings are natural and a part of any unknown situation, fear is a part of life until you can overcome it.You are not alone, you are one of the millions of people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.You are now a part of a very unique group of supporters, a group dedicated to helping others in the process of helping ourselves, a family of hope and action.

The Diabetic Connect Community helps one another overcome fear and obstacles that seem to be infallible.

How ?

By educating one another, extending hands of friendship, support and understanding.

By being there for one another, supporting a common cause, diabetes awareness, acceptance and promoting positive action !Browse the site, make friends, join in on the discussions and ask questions.

We are all here for one another, with one another.Be prepared for the onrush of support that follows !

Thank you so much Mays. Looks like I have alot to learn. I may have some questions as I begin this journey. Just wish I could get over this frightened feeling. But I guess as I educate myself that will fade away. Nice to have you on my friends list. Have a great day!

Hi Missy,You are far from alone. There are thousands of us out here. Most of us at one time or another have felt exactly the way you do. When I was diagnosed back in the 80's, I didn't have the internet to help me. My doctor gave me a prescription for pills and a meter. That's all I had to work with. No counseling or instruction. It was sink or swim and I sank like the proverbial rock. Now, you have this site and the chance to ask questions of hundreds of experienced diabetics. I'm not saying we're complete experts but all of us have been living with diabetes for quite some time. It's been over 30 years for me and despite a rocky start, I'm finally on track. Diabetes is, indeed, a scary thing. But you can learn to live and even prosper with it. I know I eat much healthier foods and take better care of myself than I would without diabetes. Look around this site, ask questions, and make friends. Nearly everyone here is friendly and will be happy to help you. Every one of us was new at this once. And we all share a common enemy; diabetes. Dave